Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity plays a central role in causing disability both directly and via indirect effects mediated through joint damage. Evaluation of RA disease activity is therefore important to predict the outcome and effectiveness of therapeutic interventions during follow-up. Clinical disease activity index (CDAI) is new simple tool for measurement of disease activity.
Objectives: To assess validity and reliability of CDAI in comparison to disease activity score-28 joints (DAS28) in Iraqi patients with active RA.
Patients and Methods: Sixty nine Iraqi RA patients were included in this study. All patients were fulfilling the ACR classification criteria and active. Full history was taken and complete clinical examination was done for all patients. Patients’ age, sex, duration of the disease, number of tender joints, number of swollen joints, patient’s and physician’s (evaluator) global assessment by visual analogue scale (VAS) (0–10 cm) were recorded. Laboratory analysis included erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). CDAI and DAS28 were measured to assess disease activity.
Results: Of 69 patients included in this study, there were 58 women and 11 men. Mean age of the patients was 45.65±12.26 years and mean duration of disease was 7.75±7.85 years. Mean DAS28 and CDAI were 5.86±1.24 and 30.07±14.07respectively.There was direct significant correlation between CDAI and DAS28 (r= 0.879, P< 0.001). Also we found good agreement between CDAI and DAS28 (Kappa = 0.795, P < 0.001). CDAI had sensitivity 90%, specificity 92%, Likelihood ratio (LR) 45.67, Area under the curve (AUC) 0.983 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.933-1.000] (P value < 0.001).
Conclusions: CDAI is a valid and reliable measure for assessment of Iraqi patients with active RA in comparison to DAS28.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, progressive, inflammatory autoimmune disease of unidentified etiology, associated with articular, extra-articular and systemic manifestation that require long-standing treatment. Taking patient’s beliefs about the prescribed medication in consideration had been shown to be an essential factor that affects adherence of the patient in whom having positive beliefs is an essential for better adherence. The purpose of the current study was to measure beliefs about medicines among a sample of Iraqi patients with Rheumatoid arthritis and to determine possible association between this belief and some patient-certain factors. This study is a cross-sectional study carried out on 250 already diagnosed rheumatoid
... Show MoreBackground: Factor V Leiden is considered the most common inherited risk factor for venous thrombosis in Caucasian populations, including those in the Eastern Mediterranean region. While several studies have addressed Factor V Leiden prevalence in patients with venous thrombosis in the Eastern Mediterranean countries, none have been reported from Iraq.
Objective: To study the prevalence of Factor V Leiden in an unselected group of Iraqi patients with Deep Venous thrombosis.
Materials and Methods: A total of 50 unselected patients with deep venous thrombosis referred to the Medical City Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, as well as 40 age and sex matched controls, were enrolled. The evaluation included in addition to detailed histo
Baghdad:
The expression of the Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 gene (PCSK9) is inextricably related to lipid levels and a risk of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (ASCAD). The present study aims to measure the quantity of PCSK9 gene expression and the effect of methylation on its expression level taking part in the pathogenesis of acute coronary artery disorder.
A current study included 150 subjects from the Iraqi population, 100 ASCAD patients and 50 healthy controls. The concentration of PCSK9 in each serum sample was determined by the ELISA technique, the expression levels of the PCSK9 gene in whole blood were estimated by RT-qPCR – Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR method, and DNA
... Show MoreRheumatoid arthritis is one of the common chronic disease, which lead to great disability and chronic pain, and has a main adverse economic and social effect upon patients. The reason for the addition of quality of life as a pointer for health outcome result is attributed to the affectability of this measure for the evaluation of patient's health status after taken treatment and its health outcome. The purpose of the current study was to assess quality of life among a sample of Iraqi patients with rheumatoid arthritis and to determine the possible association between health’s related quality of life and some patient-certain factors. This study is a cross-sectional study carried out on 250 already diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis pat
... Show MoreThe prolactin hormone played role in the many autoimmune disorders. To determine the importance of high levels of prolactin in triggering rheumatoid arthritis, thirty patient's women with hyperprolactinemia aged (20-45) years old have been investigated and compared with twenty five healthy individuals. All the studied groups were carried out to measure the concentration of citrulinated peptide(CCP) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA), antikeratin antibodies (AKA)and antinuclear antibodies(ANA) by indirect fluorescent assay IFAT. There was a significant elevation of CCP concentration compared with control groups (P< 0.05). The percentage of antikeratin antibodies and antinuclear antibodies was (20%, 10%) respectively, and
... Show MoreAbstract
In this research will be treated with a healthy phenomenon has a significant impact on different age groups in the community, but a phenomenon tonsillitis where they will be first Tawfiq model slope self moving averages seasonal ARMA Seasonal through systematic Xbox Cengnzla counter with rheumatoid tonsils in the city of Mosul, and for the period 2004-2009 with prediction of these numbers coming twelve months, has found that the specimen is the best representation of the data model is the phenomenon SARMA (1,1) * (2,1) 12 from the other side and explanatory variables using a maximum temperature and minimum temperature, sol
It was aimed to understand the interleukin-4 (IL-4) role in etio-pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Two approaches were adopted. In the first one, a quantitative expression of IL4 gene was assessed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and such findings were correlated with some demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters, which included gender, duration of disease, disease activity score (DAS-28), rheumatoid factors (RFs), C-reactive protein (CRP) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP) antibodies. In the second approach, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of IL4 gene (rs2243250) was inspected by DNA sequencing using specific primers. Fifty-one Iraqi RA patients (22 males and 29 fem
... Show MoreOmentin (or intelectin) is a main visceral fat secretory adipokine. There is a growing interest to link omentin, obesity and co-morbidity factors. The aim of the present study is to evaluate serum omentin and its association to insulin resistance biomarkers, lipid profile and atherogenic indies. This cross – sectional study was conducted in Obesity Research and Therapy Unit-Alkindy College of Medicine by recruiting (115) individuals; 49 males /66 females. Subjects between (20 to 60) years of age were selected and classified into two groups according to their Body mass index (BMI). Group1 involved healthy lean volunteers (25 male/ 36 female; BMI 18.5 - 24.9). Group2 involved obese subjects; (24 male / 36 female with BMI ≥ 30). The s
... Show MoreThis study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence rate of
toxoplasmosis among 294 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with
methotrexate (MTX), 50 RA patients without treatment and 50 samples as
healthy control. Blood samples were collected and the presence of T.gondii
IgG and IgM antibodies was determined by using Enzyme linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was
also estimated in serum of all subjects by using ELISA method too. The
seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis IgM and IgG in RA+MTX was
60(20.408%), and 98(33.33%), in RA patients 4(8%), and 18(36%) while,
it was 2(24%), 6(12%) in healthy group. Tumor necrosis factor alpha
(TNF-α) was also estimated in serum of a